STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Tuesday after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejected an adjournment motion moved by the BJP for a discussion on the “humanitarian crisis” caused by the recent natural calamity in the Union territory.
As soon as the House proceedings started, BJP MLA from Udhampur West, Pawan Gupta, moved a motion to adjourn the Question Hour to seek a discussion on the matter.
However, the Speaker rejected the adjournment motion, saying “it was not a recent occurrence”.
“There are many questions admitted on this subject. Yesterday also this subject was discussed in the House. The chief minister gave a detailed answer,” Rather said.
The BJP members did not relent and rose on their feet seeking adjournment of the Question Hour.
“This is not the way. All of you are on your feet. This is not your cause. I have rejected the motion. Speaker’s decision is final,” Rather said.
The Speaker said there is a resolution moved by Gupta on the same subject which is listed on Wednesday.
“Do not waste the time of the House,” the Speaker added.
However, the BJP members continued to demand adjournment, raising slogans “Jammu k saath insaaf karo, insaaf karo (do justice with Jammu)”.
The Speaker then read the relevant rule under which he had rejected the motion, after which the BJP members relented and the House proceedings started.
Ruckus also broke out in the Assembly after BJP MLA from Doda West Shakti Parihar alleged regional discrimination in transfers in the education department.
Parihar claimed while transfers in the education department have been affected in Kashmir, “Jammu has been ignored”.
This led to a ruckus between the treasury and opposition benches.
Education Minister Sakina Ittoo said the BJP was “habitual of crying discrimination”.
“There is no discrimination,” she asserted.
Referring to the recruitments in the department, the minister said while 350 appointments were made in the Kashmir valley, 860 were made in the Jammu region.
“DPC (departmental promotional committees) is in process and will be done in due course. Transfers were started from Poonch and Rajouri districts, but it has been kept in abeyance due to objections,” Itoo added.
The minister said there was a blanket ban on recruitment, and posts were not referred to the recruitment agencies.
She said, “1500 posts were frozen by them. The education department was on the verge of being defunct. I am thankful to chief minister (Omar Abdullah) for de-freezing 50 per cent posts”.
“They should tell us where they have brought the education department,” Itoo said, pointing to the BJP.
The House then returned to normal business.